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Recently, a friend from the Bay Area mentioned to me the concept of a peptide “stack,” which involves using multiple peptides for potential health improvements.
Are you using peptides? If so, what’s your combination? Or is this trend limited to the Bay Area?
A win for peptide proponents
An FDA advisory panel has suggested that compounding pharmacies should be permitted to manufacture four peptides. These substances, though not extensively studied, have gained popularity among health-conscious individuals.
The FDA typically aligns with the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee’s recommendations, but recent tensions between the agency’s staff and the panel have become apparent. Critics claim the panel was influenced by Kennedy, a known peptide user, and includes individuals who might benefit from increased access to peptides. Further voting on additional compounds is scheduled for Friday.
For insights on the approval process, STAT’s Sarah Todd and Lizzy Lawrence provide the readout.
I regret to inform you …
… that there is yet another outbreak of cyclospora.
Federal health officials are investigating a new outbreak of this diarrhea-inducing parasite. While the specific sources remain unidentified, 72 new cases have been reported.
The U.S. is currently experiencing its largest cyclospora outbreak on record. The CDC reported receiving 4,173 confirmed cases by Tuesday, with many more cases pending. Officials have identified Taylor Farms’ lettuce as the source of a separate, multistate outbreak, prompting a recall of iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico.
Remember to wash your fruits and vegetables. Read more.
Senate health panel delays vote on CDC director candidate
The search for the next CDC director continues as a Senate committee has postponed the vote on Erica Schwartz’s nomination until next week.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, chair of the health committee, stated he had enough votes to advance Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general, out of the committee, where the GOP has a narrow majority. However, the vote was delayed due to insufficient attendance from senators.
It has been 331 days since the CDC had a full-time leader after health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed CDC Director Susan Monarez last summer. STAT’s Chelsea Cirruzzo provides the details.
A new golden age of science?
For 18 months, science advocates have criticized the Trump administration for what they see as undermining the longstanding partnership between academic researchers and the federal government, a collaboration that has propelled U.S. scientific discovery. Now, the administration proposes to reshape this relationship.
Michael Kratsios, Trump’s science adviser who lacks a scientific background, has released a report titled “A New Golden Age,” advocating for new grant funding approaches that prioritize funding individuals over projects, and promoting an industry-centered vision of innovation.
STAT’s Anil Oza analyzes the report and the critiques surrounding it. Who deemed the report a “banger”? Find out in the story.
Autism advisory committees clash over priorities
Two similarly-named autism advisory groups have been publicly disputing over control of research and funding for autism spectrum disorder.
Last week, the federally-appointed Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee released a comprehensive 336-page strategic plan for public review and comment, but only allowed four days for feedback. In response, several advocacy groups requested a 90-day extension. The report will inform Kennedy and Congress in coordinating approximately $2 billion in federal funding for autism research and training programs. A vote on the plan’s recommendations, initially set for July 31, has been postponed.
The strategic plan mainly addresses potential environmental influences on autism, even though the disorder is primarily genetic. It also explores strategies for supporting individuals with profound autism.
The definition of profound autism varies, generally referring to individuals with significant support needs. The federal body’s definition differs from previous ones, prompting the Independent Autism Coordinating Committee to discuss its own definition and support strategies. To quote Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, “the girls are fighting.”
Which definition will prevail? Stay tuned for the federal group’s upcoming meeting. Meanwhile, an independent committee member remarked, “I think as a committee, we are quite lacking in resources.”
Where in the world is my insulin pen?
Diabetes patients are facing challenges as the supply of Sanofi’s long-acting insulin pen is dwindling.
The Lantus Solostar pen, containing 3 milliliters of insulin glargine, has been scarce for weeks. Although the FDA hasn’t officially labeled it a shortage, patients struggle to obtain it as major pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens run low.
Pharmacists are working to manage prescriptions within the constraints of patients’ insurance and medical needs. Read more about the situation from STAT’s Isabella Cueto.
What we’re reading
- A fatal reaction, Science
- Senate advances MAHA-friendly bill for food warning labels and junk food ad bans, STAT
- Sex work or starve: Aid workers in Nepal left jobless by USAID cuts turn to sex work to survive, AP
- Public health improvements stall amid Trump’s DEI crackdown, KFF Health News
- European regulators take steps to bolster clinical trial transparency, STAT
- Opinion: The U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain problem is not about China, STAT
